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I’ve got a milestone birthday coming up and have thought about a bucket list trip. Initial thought was to attend the Monaco Grand Prix vip style (I.e watching from one of the yachts in the harbor). But thinking about it I really don’t find f1 that interesting and really enjoy endurance racing. I’ve seen some packages for vip access to Le Mans (pit lane access etc)
anyine ever have the lucky fortune of doing either? Any experience with any packages? Like I said this would be a once in a lifetime bucket list thing so I want to do it right.
The view from the yachts isn't very good and I've heard IF you can find one, they are outrageously expensive; more so than typical Monaco prices. I would rather watch it from one of the elevated rooms in the hotel than from below the track surface on a yacht.
The 24 hours of Le Mans is a working man's show. Reasonable ticket prices with camping available; almost like a 3 day rock concert venue. Pick your spot and camp out and watch the race.
As far as pit passes, you will need to contact the promoters or race organizers, I'm sure they are very limited and sell out quickly and early.
We were at Lemans this year and it was my first time there. We used Grand Prix tours and everything went exceptionally smooth. They have different levels of packages. We did not stay at the track but instead commuted by bus back and forth to and from the hotel. Seats for the race were fantastic.
There are also groups that stay at the track but I do not know where their customers were seated.
The next time I go back I will be sure to get a package that includes a bus trip around the track and access to Mulsanne.
Being it was the first time we were there was more than enough to keep our attention and we walked and saw everything from the start of the Porsche curves all the way past the Dunlop bridge and down the hill. Lots of great action to be seen everywhere. Our seats at the start-finish line were fantastic watching Cars come through the last chicane.
Go to whichever you enjoy more (F1 or sports cars) -- and it sounds like sports cars. Le Mans in person will change your view on racing for the rest of your life... in a good way. :-)
FWIW, Monaco during F1 week is insane, worth doing once. Used Road Trips, watched from the Princess Grace Dance Academy overlooking turn 1 and the pool complex. Expensive but worth it.. World's best people watching.
If you like racing, go to LeMans. If you like parades, go to Monaco. And if you do go to Monaco definitely get seats with a view of the pits. That's the only way you'll see any passing.
Did LeMans in 2016 (year Toyota stopped on the front straight with a lap to go! We had pit suite passes and Hospitality access courtesy of Aston Martin. Stayed with a family I met through a Rennlist member!! If you go and only plan to go once, you have to go a week early. Scrutineering in downtown LeMans is a must do, but it’s Sunday/Monday before the race. Spend the week exploring France (Normandy beach, castle towns, wineries, LeMans museum, etc) and familiarize yourself with the track area so you can figure out how to get where you want when the roads close.
There RE is so much going on at LeMans that you need every. I use of every track session to see/do what you want. We missed a lot. And we will be back.
Monaco is also on our list because.....well because it’s Monaco and I’ve always had a goal of going to the clown jewels and/or championships of all sports.
LeMans is better for racing - stay in the country surrounding it. However, Monaco is beautiful, just not during race week. Go in the spring or fall. There's so much to see, but you won't be able to do any of it during the race. We stayed in this 700 year old farm "house". If you're interested I'll post a link to the guy who runs the tour.
Le Mans is far the better experience and better value. Monaco has appalling traffic, and is horribly crowded even if you aren’t driving. Everything is pointlessly costly. The track itself is no longer fit for purpose in terms of racing, practice and qualifying can provide some entertainment but the race rarely does, and even less so in person. There are other far better venues in which to see and enjoy an F1 race, including other street circuits. Baku looks like it would be good, though I haven’t been. Spa, Suzuka, COTA, even Silverstone if you like mud and traffic. For F1 Paul Ricard is a fine alternative without the gold dip and trashiness, and the F2 races are very entertaining there.
For a race fan or car enthusiast, Le Mans is life changing. The main problem is trying to absorb everything that goes on from Wednesday to Sunday and also finding time to enjoy Le Sarthe. You can get closer to the action, see more and better racing, experience marvelous enthusiast cars and their owners, eat well, and take in the atmosphere in a way Monaco can never allow, even with what we used to call a BerniePass. No race allows the complete immersion of Le Mans, between track action, the many screens one can find around the circuit and in the hospitality areas, and Radio Le Mans (which is better than being plugged into Race Comtrol, and more valuable when one is working the media room). There is no experience in racing quite like sunset and gloaming or pre-dawn and dawn at Le Mans. There is no post race combination of elation and exhaustion quite like that on Sunday and Monday in the town.
if you want some vaguely glamorous surroundings and the occasional sound of loud(ish) engines, go to Monaco. If you want to live a race and enjoy France, experience Le Mans.
10-15-2018, 09:37 PM
Monaco vs Le Mans
